Sunday Diva/Three From The Hip: Leslie Jones

Sunday Diva/Three From The Hip: 

Leslie Jones

In my own personal big gay church, there is a wing dedicated to the Ladies Of Comedy. Theses are the gals who made us laugh and, on occasion, brought a tear to our eyes. They are visionaries, capturing aspects of the human condition while holding up a mirror to the world. Their characters, style, and phrases have helped form our daily vernacular in ways we are not even always aware of - but that is the power of comedy and the magic these ladies all possess. Breaking ground while breaking all the rules?

The lovely, the vivacious, the outrageous, Leslie Jones.

I love this lady.

She will steal any scene she's in. It's that energy; bigger than life, all consuming.

By utilizing her unique gifts, she's helped open up new streams for those who follow.

And she's beautiful - inside and out. In touch. Savvy. Funny as hell.

If you think that doesn't come with a big cup of wisdom, then you don't know Leslie. She's smart. Whip smart. Nothing gets by her and she's mastered the ability to take what she observes and hurl it right back at its source. 

We haven't seen all she's capable of. I have a feeling this diva is simply going to keep surprising us. For she's not satisfied being anyone's caricature. She's not someone's cliché. 

She's an archetype. A gorgeous, smart woman still taking on the world. 

The gospel according to her?

Well, here are three from the hip, dropping from her lips.

The topic? She Always Knew

"I always knew about comedy; I always loved comedy."

"When I was young, my dad always let me listen to comedy albums."

"The day that I saw Whoopi Goldberg on television, I cried so hard because I kept looking at my daddy going, 'Oh my God. There's somebody on TV that looks like me! She looks like me! Yay! I can be on TV! I can be on TV! I can do it! Look at her - look at her! She looks just like me.'"

"I had all the intentions of being the next Eddie Murphy."

"I just knew that I was funny, and I knew that it was just a matter of time. I didn't know what was going to actually happen - this is definitely way bigger than I thought - but I knew there was no way I was going to be that funny, and nobody was going to notice it."

"Every black comedian in the country knew what I could do. But that doesn't mean everyone else is paying attention."

"I'm glad this whole success thing is happening now. I can't even imagine a 23-year-old Leslie in this position."

"I've been six feet tall since the sixth grade."

"Unfortunately, I'm used to the insults."

"People used to call me names, so my mom had this beautiful African lady come talk to me."

  

"I know I'm fly - don't get me wrong. But I don't look, like, standard Hollywood. As a comedian, it's something you learn to use."

"I'm really good at standup. I always win at standup."

"I've perfected the art of busting on people. That's how comedians show each other love."

"My job is to bring the tickle. I know what's funny."

"As soon as I touched the mic, I knew that's what I would do for the rest of my life."

"I would never quit comedy to make money. I've been doing it, like, 30 years. I still love it. That's my life."

Damn! You Are A Hoe - Leslie Jones

Comedy Shaq

Leslie Jones On Crazy Bitches - Leslie Jones

SNL

Leslie Jones Tries Not To Lose Her Shit - Leslie Jones

The Daily Show

And one more parting shot...

"There was a time where I knew I was as funny as many dudes, but I had people telling me, 'You have to wear a dress onstage. You need to be more feminine.'"

"It was always hard for me to find clothes."

"It takes a real designer to design for real women."

"You can look good. Don't let nobody tell you you can't look good because of your size... or what size your feet is."